Page 91 - Bulletin 7 2003

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they were educated, as both places offered technical education where crafts were
taught along with their academic subjects.

Most of the earlier arrivals had married Italian women but others, like my father,

married locals. And I am sure there were not enough females to provide wives for

those inclined to marriage as over the years a lot of the culture they brought out with
them was eroded. Then, progressively, there were fewer children, and this cycle

repeated itself with a further erosion of the culture until today we find many Italian
names but no sign of Italian culture. My own family comprised 11 children, seven of

whom married – but none of their wives was of Italian origin. This was repeated
many times. Those of the first generation were fortunate to marry Italians.

A peculiarity was the few sons who went to sea. My father would not hear of any of
his sons becoming fishermen. A large number of the boys went into the woodwork

trade, and a few became shipwrights, most doing very well at their work. As a matter

of fact, one of them almost pioneered offshore boat racing in the Cape. He designed
and built a very successful craft named the Munna boat 31 (13 ft). Later he built

other craft, his last being a 17 ft fishing boat which was also very successful. When
he built the last one before he retired he made a mould for casting in fibre-glass.

Some hulls were so cast. Though he is dead now – he died in June 2002 – the mould
is at Kommetjie and is available for hire. Of the few boys and men who went out to

sea three were drowned – one an 18-year old youth.

Family names of Italian fishermen and boat-owners from 1900 onwards

Angelico Batasano G. Firmani A. & G. Puma
G. Munna I. Introna A Scalabrino Ingerneri
L. Asaro Licata M. & F. Ciaravino Russo
Capitana Cannone V. Serra A. Sardo
A Baragona Vecchio Catalano Salvemmini
San Giorgio A.&F. Messina Ribanas de Bono
Ricardo de Pinto del Universita Guinti
Tatoli Galanti Pisani T. Ingorvaia